What social media platform do consumers trust the most?

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Trust is timely. In an era in which fake news is trending, and brands are pulling advertising from large publishers because they don't want their messaging associated with offensive content, trust is a critical factor that brands consider when re-evaluating digital ad strategies.

Digital trust is the confidence people have in a platform's ability to protect and promote the interests of its users.

The Digital Trust Report, a brand new report from BI Intelligence, examines consumers' perception of major social platforms. It rates Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn on security, community, user experience, and content authenticity and shareability. These insights help brands and marketers make informed decisions about where to spend their marketing and branding dollars.

All of the information in this survey comes from our proprietary BI Insiders panel, made up of more than 15,000 specially selected and recruited Business Insider readers. This panel is designed to be a leading indicator of what's next in digital. The panelists are business and tech savvy, they have buying power, and they're highly engaged. The survey revealed some fascinating insights into how millennials and decision makers view today's most popular social media platforms.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

Digital trust has been shaken by a proliferation of malicious content and data breaches, which has significant consequences for brands that use these platforms.

The top platform won by a huge margin on most attributes. Content on this platform is more likely to be viewed as forthright and honest, which increases the persuasiveness of ads and marketing messages that appear alongside it. This also creates ideal conditions for thought leadership and branded and sponsored content to flourish.

The second-ranked platform was bolstered by users' confidence sharing content they find there. Users were most apt to share content they found there, which, together with its massive audience and high engagement, makes it the right platform to maximize reach.

The social platform that finished dead last did so because of its abusive comments section and extremely annoying ads. Still, this hasn't dissuaded people from visiting, as evidenced by the time spent monthly and massive user base. This platform also resonates more with older generations.

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